


Blue Poison

by koalathebear



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Gen, Manpain, Non-Canon Relationship, Non-Canonical Character Death, Older Man/Younger Woman, Porn, Porn With Plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-15
Updated: 2013-09-24
Packaged: 2017-12-26 15:52:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/967797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/koalathebear/pseuds/koalathebear
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A different result to what happens in the movie.  Operation Pitfall kills Pentecost, Chuck Hansen and Raleigh Becket and only Mako Mori survives but she has been exposed to Kaiju Blue ... </p><p>I am so mean, I am always killing off poor Raleigh so that I can write these Herc/Mako fics.</p><p>"Herc was not a religious man so he stopped short of praying, but sometimes when the medical staff walked past, they saw him sitting beside her bed, elbows resting on her bed, head buried in his hands and the position was very reminiscent of a man in prayer."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Lone Survivor

**Author's Note:**

> This just popped into my head today so I have scribbled it down. I haven't decided yet if it has a happy ending or if it has a sad ending ... There is, after all, no known cure for Kaiju Blue poisoning ...

In the LOCCENT, Newt shouted, “It worked! They’re in!”

The feed from Gipsy Danger stuttered and broke up, then reformed. Unearthly sounds came from the monitor, sonic artifacts of the torsion of the universe’s fundamental forces in the throat of the Breach. Then the visual feed cut out. For a moment longer, they could hear random and unintelligible bits of sound.

“They’re in the Breach now,” Tendo Choi said. “There’s nothing we can do.”

All eyes were on the big holoscreen, where a graphic had spawned based on Gottlieb’s first rendering of the structure of the Breach and the critical point where an explosion might destroy it. The bogey representing Gipsy Danger entered the critical zone.

“They’re out of time,” Newt said. “They have to self-destruct _now_.”

*

 _Your father’s daughter was a hell of a swordmaker_. Raleigh's praise surrounded her, filling her with warmth. 

Tears poured down her face as she watched Striker Eureka detonate, her cheeks wet as she lost the last member of her family and found herself alone.

Mako's movements were mechanical as she withdrew into herself, numb and blank in the knowledge that she was also going to die.

The world began to spin as her oxygen line was cut … Spots appeared before her eyes and it became hard to focus on anything.

Raleigh's voice came from a very, very long way away …

_It’s all right now. I can finish this. All I have to do is fall. Anyone can fall. You have to live._

Then, there was only blackness and Mako knew no more.

*

In the LOCCENT, Tendo Choi stood staring at the Breach graphic, with its trumpet-shaped mouths on either end of the long narrow passage in the middle. There was no signal from Gipsy Danger. Around him stood Newt and Gottlieb, Herc, and all the rest of the command techs. Nobody spoke. Even Max looked up because all of the humans were looking up.

It seemed like it had been a long time since Gipsy Danger had entered the Throat and vanished. Tendo started to think again what he had thought from the beginning, which was that this whole bomb-the-Breach idea was noble but doomed.

Then the electromagnetic signature of the Breach changed. At first Tendo Choi thought another kaiju was coming through. The intensification pattern looked like that... but it grew until the energy discharge outstripped any kaiju passage by a factor of a thousand.

And just as quickly, it dwindled away to nothing. On the display, the physical structure of the Breach disintegrated, swirling away into random sparks.

“The Breach has collapsed!” an officer shouted.

The LOCCENT erupted in cheers, and tears of exhausted relief. Newt and Gottlieb embraced, and Gottlieb even consented to a high-five. The ranks of techs behind them jumped and shouted. Tendo couldn’t blame them. After Hong Kong, he hadn’t thought they could win either.

But they had.

Herc cut through it all.

“The pods,” he said. “Do we have the pods?”

Tendo looked back at the feed from Gipsy Danger’s subsystems. "Raleigh didn't make it out," he said with sorrow in his eyes. There were tears in his eyes but he was not ashamed to be showing emotion. He had known Raleigh for many years now …

"And Mako?" Herc demanded urgently.

“No sign of her either,” he spoke, his face full of dread.

“Send the choppers to search,” Herc said, his face grim and drawn. Though the mission was a success, the weight of the grief was almost unbearable.

*

The Pacific sky was high and blue and visibility was unlimited south of Guam, over the deepest waters on Earth. Super Sikorskys swept in a search pattern over a grid centred on the spot directly above the Breach.

"Any sign of them?" Herc Hansen's voice was harsh and desperate from the LOCCENT. 

"Nothing, Marshall."

"Keep searching – widen the search grid," he ordered them.

One of the Sikorskys heeled over as its pilot spotted an escape pod breaking the surface. It was not much bigger than an ornate coffin, a steel-and-polycarbonate shell containing a Jaeger pilot and a small amount of oxygen, ringed with floats that drove it to the surface... or, in case of an aerial release, acted as shock absorption when the pod fell to earth.

The pod rolled over and settled in the waves, green tracing dye spreading in an irregular patch around it. Its hatch popped open and a plume of vapour escaped as the pressurised dry air inside met the humid Pacific atmosphere.

"We've found Ranger Mori's pod, sir."

Herc stared down at Tendo who hesitated before reporting. "It looks like it was damaged in the blast. No vitals, no signs of life," he said with dread in his eyes and voice.

"This is Marshall Hansen – get Mori stabilised and back here as soon as you can!"

*

_All these years, I’ve been living in the past. I never really thought about the future - until now. I never did have very good timing._

Mako's lids flickered. Despite her lack of unconsciousness, there was clearly brain activity as she lay in the medical wing, muttering beneath her breath.

"How is she, doc?"

"Stable but her condition is serious, Marshall," the doctor said gravely. Herc struggled for a moment to remember the name of the young doctor with the soft Scottish brogue. Macavoy. 

The Shatterdome's medical team was comprised of doctors, surgeons and nurses, among other medically trained staff. They handled day to day injuries and were also responsible for monitoring the health and physical wellness of Rangers and varying Shatterdome staff alike. While Herc was familiar with the staff who handled the monitoring of pilots, he was less familiar with the specialists on staff such as Dr Macavoy.

"As part of the Jaeger upgrade, Gipsy Danger's radiation shielding was enhanced and Miss Mori took Metharocin on a daily basis so her radiation levels are within the range of normal despite her proximity to two nuclear blasts."

"I'm sensing a 'but' here, doc," Herc said grimly, his blue eyes not moving from the doctor's face.

Dr Macavoy's face was very serious. "Unfortunately, Miss Mori's suit and pod were damaged and prior to her rescue, she ingested water and inhaled air contaminated with Kaiju Blue. As you know, Marshall, kaiju blood is highly toxic for us. We were able to get her stabilised but at this time, there is just no way of knowing how serious or permanent the damage is."

Mako lay on the whiteness of the hospital bed, her skin pale and almost translucent. Herc could almost imagine the bluish tinge in the pale skin of her lips and cheeks. "What are you doing for her?"

"As soon as she got here and we detected the presence of Kaiju Blue, we started very aggressive treatment – we have given her an exchange transfusion – removing her platelets and replacing them with transfused blood products. We are also administering oxygen to assist with her breathing."

"There is no known cure for Kaiju Blue poisoning," Herc said flatly and Macavoy nodded, his light eyes filled with sorrow.

"No, but if medical intervention takes place early enough, we are able to minimise its effects and improve longevity."

"Marshall, I'm sorry but you're needed for a briefing with the heads of state," a young officer said apologetically from the doorway, as exhausted-looking as Herc. To describe the day as chaos would be an understatement.

"I'll be there in a moment, Carruthers," Herc said curtly, not moving his eyes away from Mako's face. "Doctor – I want you to keep me updated on her condition. No matter what meeting I'm stuck in - you come and interrupt me, got it?"

"Yes, sir," the doctor said respectfully.

Herc sat on the chair by Mako's bed for a moment and took her small cold hand in his.

"Mako – you are coming back from this," he told her in a low voice. "You saved the world. You all did. Raleigh sacrificed himself so you could live - so you'd better bloody well live," he told her fiercely.

When he walked out of the room, her chest rose and fell, barely moving as her thoughts continued to swim in her unconscious mind.

_I mean I'm not crazy – you felt it, right? We are Drift Compatible. ___

__*_ _

__Dr. Newton Geiszler almost fell off of his chair as Marshall Herc Hansen came storming into lab, a fearsome frown on his tense face._ _

__"Geiszler!"_ _

__"Yes sir?" Newt asked, staring at the older man's face. He looked exhausted and beyond grief, which was understandable given the events of the day._ _

__"As you know, Miss Mori survived."_ _

__"Yes, we heard the good news."_ _

__"She has been exposed to Kaiju Blue."_ _

__Newt blanched. "I am sorry, sir."_ _

__"Sir, they are waiting for you," Carruthers repeated nervously from Herc's elbow._ _

__"I know, just give me a bloody second," he bit out. "Please," he said politely. It wasn't Carruthers' fault. He was just doing his job._ _

__Then he turned back to Newt. "I don't care what you have to do, how much you have to spend – I need you to find a cure for Kaiju Blue."_ _

__"Me?" Newt squawked, his voice high pitched and astonished. He got himself back under control with an effort. "But sir, there is no cure," Newt protested._ _

__"That's the whole bloody point of me telling _you_ to find one!" Herc told him in exasperation. "Aren't you always bragging about how smart you are? Time to put your money where your mouth is, mate."_ _

__"But, sir ... all the previous research ... the medical trials, the testing ... Pharmaceuticals have spent millions on this ... no one has been able to an effective treatment for …"_ _

__"You're supposed to be the bloody expert in all things Kaiju – now prove it," Herc bit out, poking a finger into the scientist's shirt-front. "That little girl in there just saved the world. She's the only one left … the rest are gone … Stacker, Becket … my son." His voice broke a little. "We're not going to let her die. We can't let her die," he said more softly. "Now get to work... please," he asked Newt who shot a look at Hermann who was on the far side of the room, trying to stay out of Herc's line of sight._ _

__"And you – you make sure you help him," Herc called over his shoulder as he strode out of the room, Carruthers following behind him nervously and praying for no more delays._ _

__"I'm not a medical doctor," Newt protested at Hermann._ _

__"But no one knows kaiju physiology like you," Hermann reminded him loyally._ _

__*_ _

__Herc was back at Mako's side in the medical wing. There had been no change to her condition but as soon as he had escaped the endless meetings, debriefings and press conferences, he had returned to the medical wing. Max lay at his feet, mournful and quiet, letting out the occasional sympathetic snuffle._ _

__"The Breach is closed," he told her in a low voice. "Stacker's plan worked – not quite the way he thought it would, but it worked." His voice shook a little but he controlled himself and drew a hand across his stinging eyes and took a deep breath._ _

__"We know that the bastards are going to come back – they've got too much at stake not to try again, so we're going to make sure we're ready this time." He stopped speaking and stared down at her almost motionless body. "We need you for that … we're going to need new Jaegers, we're going to need to do research. _I_ need you," he told her softly._ _

__He heard a polite throat clearing from the doorway and Hermann was standing there with Macavoy. "I'm sorry sir, but Doctor Geiszler needs another sample of Miss Mori's blood," Hermann told him. Herc watched as the doctor injected a needle into Mako's arm and filled two small vials._ _

__"How's it going?" he asked harshly._ _

__"Early days, but Dr Geiszler thinks he may have at least found a way to slow down the adverse effects of Kaiju Blue," Hermann told him. Herc looked at Macavoy questioningly._ _

__"I am not a scientist or an immunologist," the doctor said helplessly. "In theory, what Dr Geiszler is suggesting could work but this is not my area."_ _

__"Do what you need to do," Herc told them, turning back to Mako._ _

__*_ _

_I can handle my memories  
Okay - but can you handle mine? _

____Memories flooded Mako's mind. Hers, Raleigh's, even Yancy's. She replayed every moment she had experienced with Raleigh… she relived his memories … experienced his childhood. Her memory replayed her own childhood, her life with Pentecost._ _ _ _

____She could hear a voice, faint and distant. A steady, calm drawl, familiar but indistinct. It was a man's voice. Reassuring and deliberate._ _ _ _

____It spoke to her of many things but she could never quite understand what the voice was telling her._ _ _ _

____Sometimes, she could feel a faint pressure on her hand, someone's touch on her skin. Once, she even felt the rasp of stubble on her cheek as someone kissed her cheek._ _ _ _

____Was this Death? Was she trapped in the Drift?_ _ _ _

_Watch the memories go by. Like they don’t belong to you … Memories. Don’t chase them in the Drift. Let them flow. Don’t latch on. Stay in the Drift... the Drift is silence._

*

______Herc put his coffee down on the small table beside Mako's bed as he continued speaking. "From what we can tell, the Breach is closed. Surveillance of Challenger Deep and nearby areas of the Marianas Trench shows no unexpected energy discharge and no evidence of tectonic activity other than typical subduction rates observed over the past several decades." His voice was clinical and matter-of-fact, parroting phrases he had written over and over in endless emails and memoranda._ _ _ _ _ _

______Sometimes, he imagined that he could see a flicker of understanding on her unconscious face, almost as if she was listening to him. "We're sunsetting the current Jaeger program but we're going to be doing further research into Pons/Drift technology and Kaiju Science initiatives to reverse engineer Kaiju biotechnology. I'm staying put here – this Shatterdome is going to be the centre of these research initiatives. We need you here, too, Miss Mori," Herc told her earnestly._ _ _ _ _ _

______Two weeks after Operational Pitfall, although still unconscious, Mako to the surprise of the entire medical team was still alive._ _ _ _ _ _

______Despite possibly being the busiest man in the world at that point, the Marshall still ensured that he visited her whenever he had a spare moment. If he couldn't be located, his assistants already knew that the first place to go looking for him was the medical wing._ _ _ _ _ _

______He spent hours at her side talking to her. He would talk to her about his day, about what had happened in meetings, about developments in research._ _ _ _ _ _

______Sometimes, in the late hours of the night or the early hours of the morning, he would talk to her about his grief, his feelings of loss, recounting stories of Chuck's childhood and his sense of disappointment with himself at his failed parenting. "I let him down ... raised him in the cockpit when he should have been in a home. I was so busy trying to save the world ..." He told her of his brother and the pain of betrayal, he told her of meeting his wife ... the death of his wife._ _ _ _ _ _

______He knew that the chances of her actually being able to hear him were very low, but he continued to visit. To speak to her, to let her know that she was not alone. Sometimes, he sat there without speaking, just watching her breathe._ _ _ _ _ _

______Herc was not a religious man so he stopped short of praying, but sometimes when the medical staff walked past, they saw him sitting beside her bed, elbows resting on her bed, head buried in his hands and the position was very reminiscent of a man in prayer._ _ _ _ _ _

______The staff had given up trying to suggest that Max probably shouldn't be in the medical wing. He had decided that his favourite position was curled up at the foot of Mako's bed, watching everything that went on as if he was supervising._ _ _ _ _ _

______Finally, there was a sliver of hope. Herc didn't understand the precise science of it but with much arm waving and frantic gesticulation, Geiszler had explained his breakthrough which involved being able to ringfence the toxins in her body. "In theory, if we can contain them for long enough, Miss Mori's natural immune system will strengthen to the point that her own body can break down the toxins."_ _ _ _ _ _

______It had involved injections of processed kaiju blue that Geiszler had run through a centrifuge and diluted heavily._ _ _ _ _ _

______A week or so after the treatment, when Herc was sitting by Mako's bedside reading out the results of the latest Pons experiment, her eyes flickered and Max barked loudly. Herc glanced up and straightened in astonishment._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Mako?" he demanded, dropping the papers onto the ground and leaning forward in his chair._ _ _ _ _ _

______Her eyes suddenly opened and she stared up into his unseeingly. "Sergeant Hansen?" she asked him in confusion. "Where am I? Why can't I see?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______Her panic caused a coughing fit and a fine blue vapour came from her mouth, staining the white of her bedsheets and hospital gown. Most disconcertingly, her dark eyes had become a strange, bright blue, wide and eerily intense._ _ _ _ _ _

______"You're in the medical wing," he told her, gripping her hand tightly. He reached for a tissue and carefully wiped her mouth, staring down at the blue stain with despair in his face._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Do you remember what happened?" Herc asked her gently._ _ _ _ _ _

______Mako closed her eyes for a moment. "I think so …Raleigh gave me his oxygen?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______Herc nodded. "He activated the Crisis Command Matrix, transferring your Jaeger's operations to him alone."_ _ _ _ _ _

______A tear slid down Mako's face. "So he's dead." She didn't need to ask. She already knew. She could feel the emptiness in the world that told her that Raleigh Becket was no longer there._ _ _ _ _ _

______Herc nodded. "Yes he did, but not before ejecting your pod and completing the mission. The Breach is sealed, Mako."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Her eyes, strange and blue were filled with grief. " _Sensei is_ gone, Raleigh is gone – your son is gone."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Herc nodded, unashamed of the tears that stung his eyes. She couldn't see the tears and he wouldn't have cared if she could._ _ _ _ _ _

______"But you're alive," he said with a smile in his voice and he gripped her hand more tightly._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Why am I still in the medical wing?" she wanted to know. "Have I been unconscious all this time?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"You were exposed to Kaiju Blue," he told her bluntly._ _ _ _ _ _

______There was a long moment's silence and he watched the comprehension on her face._ _ _ _ _ _

______"So I'm going to die," she said quietly, her voice very calm._ _ _ _ _ _

______"No!" his voice was urgent and firm. "You are not going to die. Geiszler is going to find a cure … he's already come up with a way to delay the onset of the worst symptoms. The fact that you're still alive is a medical miracle."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Did he learn how by Drifting with a kaiju brain again?" she asked, a flicker of a smile on her pale lips._ _ _ _ _ _

______"No, thank god," Herc said firmly. "No one knows how much classified intelligence was given away during the previous two Drifts."_ _ _ _ _ _

______At that point, Macavoy and Geiszler came bursting into the room, exclaiming over Mako's sudden return to consciousness and Herc was banished from the room so that the two could commence a barrage of tests._ _ _ _ _ _

______"I'll be back, Miss Mori," Herc promised her before he left the room. His eyes filled with pity as he saw her fumbling about as if looking for him and he reached out and caught her small hand in his. It twitched in his hand convulsively and there was fear in her face._ _ _ _ _ _

______"I'll be back," he repeated, his hand tightening over hers before releasing her and leaving the room._ _ _ _ _ _

______*_ _ _ _ _ _

______When he returned, she was sitting up in the bed, propped up against pillows. Her hair had been brushed, there was a faint hint of colour in her face although when she coughed, he could see blue staining the tissue that she held to her lips._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Marshall?" she asked suddenly, even though he stood in the doorway not moving._ _ _ _ _ _

______"How did you know it was me?" he asked curiously, walking towards her bed._ _ _ _ _ _

______"The way you walk," she told him, her head facing in his direction. She blushed slightly. "Your soap."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"I use the standard issue soap – same as yours," he said, looking amused as he sat down on the edge of her bed looking down at her. "You look good," he told her, meaning it._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Thank you. I feel better," she told him. "I still have a cough … and I can't walk yet." She gestured at her legs. "I'm not paralysed. I can feel my legs … I can wriggle my toes … I just can't walk yet…"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Baby steps," he told her encouragingly. "Just having you awake is a huge deal. Besides – where do you want to go?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Outside somewhere. I've been inside so long," she told him and then gave a little gasp when she felt his strong arms lifting her out of the bed._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Well that I can help you with," he told her with a grin on his face._ _ _ _ _ _

______She instinctively wrapped one arm around his neck as he lifted her easily, holding her against his broad chest with his strong, muscled arms. She could feel his steady heartbeat against her cheek._ _ _ _ _ _

______As he walked with her outside, he described where they were and who they passed. When he stepped outside the Shatterdome, she could feel the cool breeze on her skin and breathe in the smell of the harbour. Her nose wrinkled._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Not so fresh air," Herc said with a grin._ _ _ _ _ _

______"But still wonderful," she assured him. "The sun is shining," she said with a smile, feeling the warmth on her skin._ _ _ _ _ _

______"It's a beautiful day," he told her and carried her up the many stairs to the ramparts of the Hong Kong Shatterdome._ _ _ _ _ _

______He described the clouds to her, the ships on the horizon, the birds flying in the sky. He even described the yellow flowers growing out of the cracks of the Shatterdome and the ants scurrying at their feet._ _ _ _ _ _

______She leaned against the walls of the Shatterdome and closed her eyes._ _ _ _ _ _

______"You can talk to me, Mako," he said gently, forgetting to call her Miss Mori._ _ _ _ _ _

______"I don't have the words," she told him sadly._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Tell me in Japanese then," he suggested._ _ _ _ _ _

______"But then you won't understand," she protested._ _ _ _ _ _

______"It doesn’t matter … you need to talk," he told her. Still unconvinced, she began to speak to him in Japanese haltingly, telling him of what she remembered, of Raleigh's last words to her, of Pentecost's last words to her … He was silent, listening intently as if he could understand, knowing that she was in pain and speaking of her loss would help even though she would never be able to rid herself of the pain entirely._ _ _ _ _ _

______Once she started, she couldn't stop and she began to speak in rapid Japanese, tell him everything._ _ _ _ _ _

______Finally, she spoke in English again. "I remember now …you visited me all the time," she told him. "I heard your voice."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Yeah, I was a bit of a blabbermouth – you were a captive audience," he said with a grin._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Thank you," she told him quietly._ _ _ _ _ _

______"There's no need to thank me – I might have gone out of my head without you to talk to." His voice was very serious. He meant what he said. If it hadn't been for the fact that she was alive and the possibility that she might recover – he might have given up all hope._ _ _ _ _ _

______"I don't think I was very good company," she told him ruefully._ _ _ _ _ _

______He was startled when she suddenly reached up to touch his face. He kept very still as her fingertips touched the rough stubble on his firm jaw, slid up over his cheek, touched his cheekbones, moved over his eyebrows and then travelled back down again to touch his lips._ _ _ _ _ _

______Without meaning to, he brushed a kiss against her fingertips and her fingers stilled for a moment and then fluttered away before returning to slide her fingers through his closely cropped hair._ _ _ _ _ _

______"You still look the same," she commented, her wide, disconcerting gaze staring into his. Even though she was blind, it felt as though she could see right into through him._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Older and greyer," he said with a wry smile._ _ _ _ _ _

______There was a faint smile curving her pale mouth and she spoke in Japanese again. "Still handsome. When I was a little girl, I had posters of you on my wall … you were my hero. Sensei said that you were an even better Jaeger pilot than him." There was a faint flush of colour on her cheeks with her confession. Speaking in Japanese and knowing that he couldn't understand her made her bold. "When I met you, it was very exciting … I knew that you could never be attracted to someone like me, but …" she trailed off._ _ _ _ _ _

______Her head rested against his chest a little tiredly, her energy draining out of her._ _ _ _ _ _

______"I should get you back to the medical wing," he said in a low voice, his hand stroking her hair from her face._ _ _ _ _ _

______As he carried her back inside, she started whispering other confessions to him in Japanese. His mouth twitched slightly but he said nothing._ _ _ _ _ _

______*_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Don't sugar coat it, I want to know – how is she doing?" Herc demanded of the two men who stood before him in the lab._ _ _ _ _ _

______"This sort of treatment's never been tried before. We just don't know," Geiszler told him._ _ _ _ _ _

______"I have been monitoring Miss Mori's vitals and she is stable … but her body has not yet started eradicating the traces of kaiju blue from her body – the longer it remains in her body, the weaker she will become," Macavoy told him, his eyes serious._ _ _ _ _ _

______Herc's mouth was tight with frustration, his blue eyes grim and shadowed. He walked to the window and stared outside, the sun gleaming on his closely cropped red hair._ _ _ _ _ _

______"The blindness?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"We think that her sight should be able to return if her body is able to flush out the toxins."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"I'm sorry we don't have anything more for you, sir," Newt told him, genuine regret in his face._ _ _ _ _ _

______Herc nodded. "I'm grateful for what you've done. Just – keep working at it."_ _ _ _ _ _

______*_ _ _ _ _ _

______When Herc arrived at the medical wing, Tendo Choi was there already reading out Mark 6 design reports to Mako who was listening intently while leaning back against her pillow._ _ _ _ _ _

______When he arrived in the doorway, she turned her head towards him and smiled. "Marshall Hansen," she greeted him. He didn't bother to ask how she knew it was him._ _ _ _ _ _

______"I think it would be all right to call me Herc," he told her, pulling up another chair and coming to sit beside Tendo._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Just giving her an update on the status of the designs, sir," Tendo told him. "We need some of Mako's input on the engineering side before we agree to any of this," he said gesturing at the thick reports and diagrams._ _ _ _ _ _

______Tendo excused himself and Herc cleared his throat. "So how are you feeling today?" he asked her with forced cheerfulness._ _ _ _ _ _

______"I'm not a child," she muttered in Japanese. There was a long silence and then Mako said._ _ _ _ _ _

______"I'm feeling much better today," she told him. Her hair was longer now, the blue tips of her hair fading and she looked softer and more vulnerable with the longer hair._ _ _ _ _ _

______She reached out her hand to take his and then with only a moment's hesitation, he drew closer and began to tell her about his day._ _ _ _ _ _

______"You're tired – lie down," she invited him._ _ _ _ _ _

______He cleared his throat but then unlaced his boots and cautiously lay down beside her on the narrow hospital bed. His longer, broader body dwarfed hers and at first he lay there awkwardly but eventually he relaxed and drew her against him as he spoke._ _ _ _ _ _

______"You should rest," she told him. "The nurses tell me that you work all day and then you visit me … you barely sleep."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"No rest for the wicked," he murmured._ _ _ _ _ _

______He closed his eyes and listened as she allowed her fingers to brush over his face. She touched his mouth and began speaking in Japanese. "I wish I could see your face again," she said wistfully. "It's such a handsome face … strong and brave."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Eventually she curled against him and fell asleep and Herc was left, wide awake and staring up at the ceiling wanting things that could never be._ _ _ _ _ _


	2. Guide

"You should rest," Herc heard the physiotherapist say as he walked into the large, brightly lit physical therapy room in the medical wing of the Shatterdome.

"No. I'm fine," he heard Mako insist stubbornly.

"Well I'm tired even if you're not," he heard Lynch say in amusement. "Sir," he greeted Herc as he caught sight of the Marshall. "Perhaps you can persuade Miss Mori to take a break."

Mako was balancing precariously, propping herself up at the end of the therapy parallel bars, her face flushed and drenched with perspiration. The coordination exercises designed by Lynch required Mako to repeat concise movements that worked more than one joint and muscle. The bars were also used for her general conditioning exercises, combining range-of-motion, muscle-strengthening, and ambulatory exercises to counteract the effects of her being bedridden for so many weeks. 

In designing the exercises, Lynch had had the difficult task of consulting with Newt and Macavoy given that they were also needed to increase Mako's heart and lung function as well assisting in restoring the necessary blood flow.

"Lying down is bad for her – the blood needs to flow, she needs more oxygen, she needs to sweat out the toxins," Newt explained, waving his arms around emphatically.

"But she can't overtax herself. If she tires herself out, then her body will lose strength and her immune system will not be able to cope with the toxins in her body," Macavoy had pointed out.

"The statistical likelihood of that taking place is small," Hermann chimed in. "Previous treatments has already diluted the kaiju blue in her system and Miss Mori has a window during which she is able to engage in physical exertion without resulting in the shutdown of her organs… although of course sudden organ failure remains a constant risk …"

As the words had flown around Mako , she had sat on her bed silently with Herc sitting beside her. He had reached out and taken her hand in his and given it a comforting squeeze.

As her strength had returned, she had managed to sit up for longer periods of time and she had taken to doing stretching exercises in her bed. Herc sat at her bedside, only reaching out to help her when she looked like she was in any danger of toppling out of the bed.

Herc had watched Mako working on the bars before and even just being an onlooker was an exhausting endeavour. The act of learning to walk again was a monumental task requiring patience, dedication and an extraordinary amount of will power. During one session, Mako had slipped from the bars, slumping to the ground with a gasp of pain and Herc had been at her side immediately, staring up at Lynch with a look of: "Do something," in his face.

"No, I can do it," Mako had said through gritted teeth as she lay slumped on the mat like a broken doll, her black hair falling about her pale face like a thick veil. Herc had watched as she had gradually pulled herself back up into a sitting position and reached up to drag herself onto her feet again, face taut and stubborn.

Lynch only permitted Herc to assist Mako at times she was having a coughing fit and he would stand behind her, supporting her as she coughed into the tissue stained with blue. The daily nebulizer treatments were assisting with her lungs but the blue mist remained, even as breathing became easier. For anything else, Lynch would force Herc to stand by and watch as Mako forced herself to take one step after the other, arms trembling with the effort of supporting her body and small feet precarious but determined.

After several weeks of extremely gruelling physical therapy, Mako was able to walk again and Herc watched as she was taught how to use a cane to get around. He winced when she stumbled and fell, when she bumped into things. During one of these minor accidents, she turned her head towards him.

"I'm fine," she told him with a faint smile on her face, her strange blue eyes staring right through him.

Whenever he was not in meetings, press conferences, interviews, demonstrations and training, he and Max were with her – walking down the long corridors of the Shatterdome, up and down the stairs. He counted steps and stairs, he described doorways, rooms and hallways in meticulous detail. He had always been an observant man but now he was even more alert to potential obstacles. Max seemed to sense her impairment and was always careful to stay out of her way, lingering at Herc's side and watching on curiously, panting hopefully.

Sometimes, Herc even closed his eyes and navigated his way through the Shatterdome with a cane to try to anticipate danger areas, things that should be moved, things that should be brought to Mako's attention. He became very skilled at directing her – move left, move right, three steps up, four steps down … Railing is higher, lower … His instructions would intersperse their conversations as they walked through the Shatterdome together, a discussion of Ranger test results being interrupted with a warning to move left or right.

The others tried to emulate his level of detail with varying levels of success. Tendo was, for the most part, quite accurate and Mako rarely stumbled while with him. By contrast, Newt was absolutely awful and were it not for her skill with the cane, Mako would have ended up far more bruised and battered than she did. That never happened with Herc. His directions were meticulous.

Once, despite his warning, she found herself skidding slightly down a set of stairs. He caught her immediately, steadying her on the spot. "No falling over on my watch, Ranger," he told her quietly.

"I'm not a Ranger anymore," she told him with a sad smile, indicating her cane and her sightless eyes.

"You will always be a Ranger," he told her grimly.

He worked her hard. First it was swimming, dragging her to the pool early in the morning as she shivered, teeth chattering by the side of the pool.

He helped her down into the water and swam alongside her, strokes clean and sure as he called out the laps they had swum.

In the pool, her lack of vision did not matter. She swam … breathed … touched the end of the pool with her hand, turned and continued to swim. She swam lap after lap, hearing Herc's voice calling out a number. He swam more slowly for her, kept in pace with her and she knew that he could have gone on for longer. 

Max never got into the water, choosing instead to linger on the sidelines and bark his encouragement, watching wistfully as his master swam back and forth, back and forth in the deep, blue water of the pool.

Each morning, Macavoy took her blood for Newt to test for the concentration of Kaiju Blue in her system. It was hard to say who was more tense and nervous at these times – Mako or Herc.

"The treatment seems to be working. Levels are dropping – only a small amount, but they are dropping," Macavoy told them.

Herc exhaled slowly as Mako reached out for his hand.

"Time to step up the pace a little, Ranger," he told her with a smile.

*

Mako hated the treadmill and the running machine in the Shatterdome gymnasium with a passion. 

After doing some research, Herc announced that he would be her guide runner.

Using a tether that they could loop lightly around their arms, they started out cautiously at first with the tether kept short.

In the beginning, they walked at a brisk pace on the running trails and fields around the Shatterdome. Once they grew accustomed to walking swiftly together, they began a slow jog. 

The tether allowed freedom of movement for both Mako and Herc but it also kept them in close proximity of each other. 

In much the same manner as their many Shatterdome walks together, Herc became a play-by-play announcer for her, providing verbal cues to Mako on matters such as upcoming hills, turns, curbs, uneven footing, where other people were also running near them.

Although initially hesitant, afraid that he might do something or not do something that could result in an injury for Mako, Herc came to realise that guide running was a strangely exhilarating experience. 

As the faster runner, he was able to focus on her needs when they ran. It meant that he was relaxed with his running and Mako could feel this through the tether that each was holding. This was reassuring

Being her guide was an interesting exercise. Not only did he need to think about his own running, he needed to be the eyes for somebody else who was depending on him to provide feedback what is going on. When in open areas, they used the full length of the tether so that both had free arm movement, but when they needed to run close, they held it almost wrist to wrist.

In time, a routine developed, Herc giving at least 3 steps notice of an event so as to give prior warning. 

"Tendo has reported that he has made some significant developments in relation to preventing pilots falling out of alignment … _kurb down, in 3, 2, 1, down_ , you should make sure you have a talk to him about this when we get back."

Eventually, all she needed was a "kerb up" or "kerb down" with no countdown. When he needed her to move in her direction, he would push her arm as well as speak the direction. When needing to move in his direction, he would pull on the tether rope as well as speak the direction. He gave her a commentary on what was being approached, narrowing foot path, obstacles, other runners. 

It became second nature to him to state any change of terrain as they ran - going on to grass, sand, metal road, puddle, foot path and onto the road. Max valiantly tried to keep up but his physique failed him and each morning, he would dejectedly come to a stop and have to make his way back to the Shatterdome on his own.

"I said a Kelpie … a cattle dog or a bitza… but no, he wanted a bloody bulldog," Herc muttered once, his voice filled with memory and unspoken grief. "Useless idiot," he had mumbled, burying his face in the top of Max's head. 

Mako didn't have to see him to know of the pain in his face. In time, she knew when he was about to speak to tell her to move left or right.

In a strange way, their running became almost like Drifting. She learned to understand his words and signals as they became pared down. A word, a touch of the hand, a slight tug on the tether was all she needed to know that he was saying "we need to run in single file", "duck", "stand straight again".

Their wordless communication allowed them to jog and even sprint. There was almost no tension in the tether as they moved as one, side by side, his low, husky voice giving her direction.

_To let someone in—to really connect—you have to trust them. And today... today the Drift was strong. ___

__To let someone guide you to sprint when you could not see was truly an act of trust and understanding. Mako thought of Raleigh often, of what might have happened had he lived. Would they have been a couple? More than likely. Would he have stood by her forever? Absolutely. Would she want to have anyone running beside her in place of Herc?_ _

__No._ _

__Each moment they were together simply reinforced the bond between them and their lives and thoughts become inextricably intertwined._ _

__She looked forward to their time together. Herc was in top physical condition and was able to run alongside her giving commentary at the same time as paying attention to what was going on around them. While at first, he allowed her to set the pace, getting her used to running without sight and with him as her guide, as she grew stronger and more confident, he began to push her harder._ _

__Some of the cadets at the Shatterdome who were training to be pilots of the new Mark Sixes decided to join them for their early morning runs and Herc could be heard bellowing orders and criticism at the cadets as if he was still a training sergeant._ _

__"Move your bloody feet, Mori!" he roared as he jogged, being careful to give her enough length on the tether to run properly. "Do not hold me back – I will not be dragging your ass back to the Shatterdome!"_ _

__Her face was flushed and she was regulating her breathing the way he had taught her. The running and swimming was improving her lung function, the jogging was strengthening her body … Herc hoped it would be enough to flush the Kaiju Blue from her system._ _

__There were some days when the strength drained out of her and Herc would catch her in his arms and jog back to the Shatterdome carrying her back to her room and laying her down in her bunk. True to his promise, he never let her fall on his watch and none of the bumps, bruises and scratches on her body were from when he was with her._ _

__After one of their long runs, he led her to the showers. "Do you close your eyes when we shower, Herc?" she asked him suddenly and his body tightened as he flushed slightly._ _

__"No," he told her honestly._ _

__"So you've seen me naked," she remarked._ _

__"Yes," he admitted._ _

__He stood watching as she slowly stripped off her clothes. A muscle moved in his jaw and he took off his own clothes so that they could both step beneath the shower spray._ _

__Her fingertips moved over his chest wonderingly, tracing the many scars on his leanly muscled body. He kept himself in prime physical condition and had the body of a man much younger than his age._ _

__He reached for her hands and moved them away from him deliberately, aware that if she continued the exploration … things might happen that she might regret._ _

__She still kept up her habit of sometimes speaking Japanese even though she knew he couldn't understand. It was therapeutic, it was liberating. She told him of sending him fan mail when she was a child, of saving press clippings, of having seen him on the television holding a child in his arms that he had saved from death. She sometimes felt bad babbling at him in a language he couldn't understand but it was only in Japanese that she could express herself so clearly and he encouraged her and never seemed to mind._ _

__"I wish I could see you again," she told him in Japanese. "I miss seeing your face … knowing what you are thinking."_ _

__Herc said nothing, merely towelled himself dry and helped her with her own clothing, taking care not to allow his hands to linger on her bare skin despite the temptation to do so._ _

__*_ _

__"You absolutely sure about this?" Herc asked her as they walked towards the kwoon._ _

__"Yes. I feel good," she assured him._ _

__"You look good," he agreed, there was colour in her cheeks now, her body was lean and muscled. The kaiju blue levels were continuing to drop and Newt was conducting research on whether or not kaiju white blood cells had the same powers as human white blood cells._ _

__Mako stood in the centre of the mat as a cadet approached her. She could hear the cautiousness of his step and she listened intently, head slightly tilted as she concentrated._ _

__Herc watched as she waited for the cadet to strike first, her arm shooting out to block his blow and her leg sweeping swiftly. He watched her defeat half a dozen cadets despite her blindness and there was a smile on his mouth as she stood in the centre of the mat, regulating her breathing, her body taut and alert._ _

__She was still a formidable fighter, blind or not and her assessments held him to shortlist the pilot candidates. The Mark Sixes were already being tested at the Shatterdome and Mako had been present at every single one of the test runs._ _

__During one of the combat training sessions, he walked about the room and announced that the cadets would blindfold themselves during the next sparring session. "It's an invaluable training tool, Rangers – teaches you to rely on your other senses. You can see for yourself that Miss Mori here is in no way disadvantaged by her lack of sight."_ _

__The cadets shifted nervously as they stood before him, blindfolded. "In many ways, our sense of touch is more efficient at communicating the information we need to refine our technique. It provides us instant feedback that our bodies can immediately respond to without thought, more so than our senses of sight and hearing."_ _

__At first, the cadets were cautious and less stable in their sparring and Herc and Mako guided them through steps, teaching them to become attuned to the motion and sound around them._ _

__As their confidence grew, their movement became more assured and while none of them reached the level of proficiency of Mako, the blind-folded training became an invaluable part of their learning._ _

__After one session, Mako sank to her knees on the mat and waited calmly for the class to finish and listened as Herc dismissed the cadets._ _

__"Up for one more round, Miss Mori?" he asked her._ _

__"With you?" she asked him curiously._ _

__"Of course."_ _

__"Will you wear a blindfold?" she asked him, a smile curving her mouth._ _

__"If you want me to."_ _

__She rose to her feet and walked across to him, reaching up to touch her hands to his face and felt the cloth covering his eyes. She could smell the clean, masculine scent of him, so familiar and reassuring._ _

__She stepped back from him and waited, listening to the silence of the large room, of the sounds outside the kwoon and the stillness within._ _

__Herc also waited patiently and smiled slightly when he heard the slightest sound of her feet moving. He easily blocked her kick and his arm shot out to try to seize her arm, grinning as she leapt back lightly, out of his grasp and controlling her breathing so as not to give her location away._ _

__They circled on the mat, close but not touching, bare feet moving swiftly. Then he was on the attack, kicking and punching and she was evading and blocking, spinning away from him before returning and counter-attacking him. He flipped her over his hip as she reached out and pulled his leg out from under him._ _

__Without the blindfold, he could defeat her quite swiftly but with the blindfold, they were far more evenly matched._ _

__Eventually though, he still managed to grab her and throw her to the ground. She kicked and flipped him to the side but he gripped her arms and she ended up on top of him, breathing heavily, her face inches from his as he lay on the mat._ _

__She could smell dust, perspiration and him._ _

__His heartbeat, despite their sparring remained steady and strong against her chest and his hands reached up to rest on her hips as she straddled him where he lay on the mat._ _

__His arousal was hard and pulsing against her and she bit her lip at the deep throb between her thighs … the urgent heat._ _

__His strong, calloused hands travelled up her body and he cupped her breast though her black tank top, his thumb brushing against her aroused nipple, making her whimper._ _

__She leaned down and her mouth covered his and she tasted the salt of his lips before his lips parted. His tongue was against hers, the rasp of his stubble scraping against her skin as his hands gripped her head and deepened the kiss._ _

__He kissed her hungrily, no gentleness or softness, only urgent want and desire as his fingers tangled in her hair. He rolled her beneath him on the mat, his body covered hers as the kisses deepened and his hands began to slide under her tank top to brush against the smoothness of her skin. His kiss was demanding and strong. His tongue stroked knowingly over hers, warm and slightly rough as he explored her tender mouth._ _

__He was hard and heavy on top of her, her body soft and yielding against him. Their attraction was raw and carnal, stunning them both with its intensity._ _

__A sound outside the kwoon made them both stiffen and Herc pulled back, ripping the blindfold from his eyes and staring down into her flushed face with a grim look of self-loathing on his face. This was Stacker's daughter, a girl 25 years his junior. If Pentecost was still alive, he would have kicked his ass halfway across the room for even thinking about laying a finger on his daughter._ _

__"You think too much, Herc," Mako whispered, reaching up to touch his face._ _

__"Don't do that, Mako – you touch me again and I won't be able to stop," he warned her. He got to his feet, pulling her up with him._ _

__"I don't want you to stop," she told him._ _

__"Mako – you had a crush on me when you were a kid. This is just … hero worship gone wrong," he told her and she flinched, pulling away from him._ _

__She staggered to the edge of the mat, looking for her cane. When she stumbled, he was at her side immediately to steady her._ _

__"Don’t touch me," she told him, trying to shake his hands off of her but he held on and he pulled her close, his lips resting on her cheek as he stroked her hair._ _

__"Just because I want you, doesn't mean I should have you," he told her hoarsely. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply of her scent._ _

__" _Baka_ ," she muttered beneath her breath and he laughed._ _

__"Even I know what that one means, love," he told her and he scooped her up into his arms and began walking with her back to his quarters._ _

__"Where are you taking me?" she asked him in confusion._ _

__"What the hell, I've always done stupid things I shouldn't – why change now?"_ _

__As he kicked his door shut behind him, he pulled a very willing Mako against him and kissed her again as he guided her towards the bed._ _

__"Three steps backwards," he told her._ _

__"And now what?" she asked him breathlessly. "Step left? Step right?"_ _

__"Take off your clothes," he told her in a low, harsh voice. "All of them."_ _

__*_ _

__Much, much later, his body sated and relaxed, Herc lay in his bunk with his thoughts spinning. He stared down at the naked young woman sleeping in his arms._ _

__He had always enjoyed sex. He had always been a man with a healthy appetite and a great deal of stamina but almost heart-stopping joy and pleasure was a completely new experience for him._ _

__He lowered his head to trail his mouth down Mako's cheek. Her skin was smooth and soft and he had allowed his lips to linger and taste her, drink in every whimper and sigh._ _

__He had enjoyed exploring and tasting her slim, supple body, bringing her to helpless, violent climax again and again. Most of all, he had enjoyed the way she curled against him trustfully and fell asleep._ _

__It had been months since he'd had sex but this was much more than a quick fuck for him. While their first coupling had been hasty and almost violent, after that, he had taken the time to make it last and she had been extremely willing to learn what he liked, what made his body stiffen with pleasure and what brought him to release._ _

__Mako shifted in his arms and whispered in Japanese. "You pretend you don't, but I know that you love me."_ _

__"No, bugger it. I'm done fighting it," he muttered and Mako's eyes snapped open in shock._ _

__"You understand Japanese?" she realised, torn between horror and disbelief._ _

__"Guilty," he said with a wry smile. "Went on exchange when I was in uni … can't speak it for shit, but I can pretty much follow what's going on."_ _

__"So you've understood the things I have been telling you?" she demanded, aghast._ _

__"Pretty much."_ _

__Then he stiffened and gripped her face, turning it towards the light and staring down into her dark eyes in sudden realisation. Her _dark_ eyes that were staring up into his accusingly._ _

__"Can you see me, Mako?" he demanded urgently and her eyes widened in sudden realisation._ _

__"I can see you…" she breathed, reaching up her fingertips to touch his face, lingering on the clean, firm lines, staring into his steady blue eyes that were filled with a fierce love for her._ _

__"You are still so beautiful," she told him and he grimaced._ _

__"Mako – men are not beautiful. You can call me handsome or sexy or whatever …but not …"_ _

__"Beautiful," she repeated, tracing his straight nose, his cheekbones and the firmness of his mouth._ _

__She drew his mouth down to hers and kissed him again, lingeringly._ _

__"Having heard all of your confessions, I suppose you won't mind if I indulge you in a few of your fantasies," he teased her and his laugh was a low rumble as she blushed scarlet. "Much, much too late to be shy, love," and there was no time for bashfulness as he proceeded to prove what an excellent listener he had been._ _

__*_ _

__"Is she cured?" Herc demanded as Mako having blood taken from her arm. Macavoy was looking into her eyes._ _

__"She's still a medical miracle, that's for sure," Macavoy remarked, scribbling furiously in his notepad as Newt was pacing around the room, thinking aloud._ _

__"I'm a genius, I'm a genius. I've found a cure for Kaiju Blue."_ _

__"She's not cured," Macavoy pointed out._ _

__"That's true," Newt conceded._ _

__"What are you talking about?" Herc demanded. "Look at her, she can see again, she's stopped coughing. The Kaiju Blue concentration in her system is …"_ _

__"Negligible. Agreed," Macavoy told him. "But we've never had anyone 'come back' from Kaiju Blue poisoning before. We still have no way of knowing if there is any long-term damage to her organs."_ _

__"So she could still die at any moment is what you're telling me?" Herc demanded, anger and frustration in his voice._ _

__Mako laid a gentle hand on his arm. "It's all right," she told him. "I'm happy for what I can get," she told him seriously._ _

__Her touch calm him down and he stared down into her large dark eyes, remembering the sweetness of her kiss, the softness of her body and the pleasure of waking up with her in the morning._ _

__"Keep monitoring her," he told them tersely and stormed out of the room._ _

__"I'm sorry, Mako," Newt told her apologetically and Mako shrugged._ _

__"I could have died during Onibaba's attack on Tokyo … I could have died while piloting Gipsy Danger … when the Kaiju return, I could die in a Kaiju attack. Death can take any of us at any time."_ _

__"Depressing but true," Newt agreed._ _

__"Thank you for all you have done for me. Both of you," Mako said to them with great sincerity and both men floundered in embarrassment, unsure of how to respond._ _

__That night, when she came to Herc in his quarters, he pulled her into his arms, burying his face in her hair. She slid her hands between them, feeling the ripple of muscles across her fingers._ _

__His mouth came down on hers, demanding and yet tender. His tongue slid past her lips, determined to taste every part of her and she could taste the desperation and fear in him._ _

__"It's ok," she whispered as if to comfort him._ _

__His grip tightened at her nape as he unbuttoned her shirt, pulling it off her and running his other hand up her side to cup her breast. He swore softly beneath his breath, still frustrated and angry by the revelations of earlier that day, by their inability to know if her health was stable._ _

__Frustrated, he took her into his arms and simply held her against his tall frame, pressing her head to his chest and holding her there as he rubbed his hand up and down her back. She closed her eyes and leaned against him. He backed toward the bed and sat, taking her with him, enfolding her in his embrace until she was curled onto his lap, her head tucked underneath his chin._ _

__She reached for him, brushing her hands over his jaw and feeling the rasp of stubble. Then she leaned in and kissed him softly._ _

__He groaned. His warm, sensual lips pressed to the curve of her neck. Then he kissed her. His kiss was strong, determined and strangely possessive._ _

__He kissed her mouth and then pressed a tender line of kisses down one side of her jaw. His body was taut with tension._ _

__Impatiently, they pulled the rest of their clothes off and when they were both naked, he straddled her body and stared down at her, his eyes dark and filled with desire and love._ _

__She met his gaze calmly and fearlessly. Hercules Hansen was a man who when he talked, others listened. There was something in his tone that commanded respect and obedience. There was something very exciting and arousing about having him straddling her, leaning over her and staring down at her with hunger in his gaze._ _

__“Do you want me like I want you?” she asked him._ _

__"No," he muttered. "Much more," he told her hoarsely. He stared at her, his eyes dark and urgent. "I want to taste you again.”_ _

__Mako trembled. She craved his touch … his tongue, his mouth._ _

__He leaned down and carefully slid his cool fingers inside of her damp heat, feeling her clench around him helplessly. He traced circles until she squirmed, her hips lifting up against his wet fingers insistently, whimpering uncontrollably._ _

__When he lowered his head to touch her with his tongue, a cry escaped her lips._ _

__“Surely you don't want it rough, Miss Mori? That's not very ladylike," he teased her._ _

__Before she could reply, he had spread her, positioned himself and thrust forward hard._ _

__He was large and swollen and her body hugged him tightly as she wondered how on earth he had fit. He withdrew and then slammed forward again, making her slender body tremble with the force of his thrust. His blue eyes were dark and intense, perspiration beading his face as his controlled, cool stare missed nothing._ _

__As he thrust into her again, her body shuddered helplessly. She closed her eyes in bliss as her body rippled around him. She arched her body, stretching, welcoming him back._ _

__“Open your eyes, Mako," he ordered her and her eyes opened and she stared into his face._ _

__He greeted his teeth as he grasped her hips and thrust deeper. Her breasts shook with each movement and she could feel pleasure shooting through her body._ _

__He leaned over her, pinning her body to the mattress as his body worked hard over hers. In and out. In and out. He thrust rougher and harder._ _

__"How does this feel?" he asked her tightly._ _

__Mako felt the pressure building between her thighs, felt the muscles tightening and throbbing. "Very nice," she said faintly, holding on tight._ _

__He was big and her body felt so tight around him. The sensations were overwhelming as he continued to push, harder and harder. Relentless. His stamina and self-control was impressive._ _

__He waited until her orgasm gripped her before he let himself pour himself into her. Mako lay on the bed, feeling the wetness between her thighs._ _

__For a long moment he lay over her body, covering her protectively. Their legs were tangled and he rolled onto to his side, taking her with him.  
When he finally pulled out of her, she felt the hot rush of wetness trickle out of her. Absently, she remembered that she wasn't up to date with her birth control._ _

__"You are beautiful," he whispered against her lips._ _

__"Thank you," she replied, kissing his mouth. "I feel alive when I'm with you," she told him._ _

__Being with her felt good, very good. Words could not express the pleasure he felt when he was inside her._ _

__Words were also inadequate to describe the guilt he felt. He was not the right man for her, not in the long run. She saw the look in his eyes and put her fingers against his lips to stop him speaking the words she did not want to hear._ _

__*_ _

__"What do you want?" Herc demanded curtly as he straightened after lacing his running shoes._ _

__"You're going without me?" she asked him, faint reproach in her voice._ _

__"You can see again, you don't need me as your guide partner anymore," he told her tersely._ _

__Mako smiled and held out a blindfold. "Put this on," she ordered him._ _

__He raised an eyebrow and his mouth quirked wickedly. "It's kind of early and also public for anything kinky, love – save it till tonight."_ _

__She handed him the blindfold and he shrugged and obediently put it on. She pulled their running tether from her pocket and looped it around their arms lightly as they had done many, many times before._ _

__"Today I will be your running guide," she informed him, leading him from the Shatterdome. "As your running guide, you must trust me … listen to my every direction. Do you promise to do so?" she asked him seriously._ _

__"Yeah, whatever," he said easily, amused at her games and happy to play along._ _

__She led him up the stairs to the Ramparts of the Shatterdome, to the same place he had taken her when she had woken from her coma. As he had done, she described the sky, the ships on the sea, the birds flying above and the flowers growing from the cracks in the wall._ _

__In Japanese, she described the two of them standing on the Ramparts, alone and looking out to sea. "The Kaiju could return any day," she told him._ _

__"Yes."_ _

__"One or both of us could die …"_ _

__He moved as if to speak but she put her fingers over his mouth._ _

__"Tell me you love me," she told him._ _

__He hesitated and then exhaled slowly. "You know I do, love … I shouldn't, but I do."_ _

__"Then say the words."_ _

__"Is this a running guide order?" he asked her with a faint smile on his mouth._ _

__"Yes."_ _

__"I love you. Always will, no matter what."_ _

__"Promise you'll marry me," she said calmly._ _

__"I'm too old for you … you need – "_ _

__"You. I need you," she told him fiercely. "If the world ends tomorrow, I want to know what it is like to be your wife."_ _

__He ripped the blindfold off and stuffed it into the pocket of his trousers. He stared down into her face, strong and beautiful, fearless and stubborn._ _

__"Anyone ever tell you that you're as stubborn as a bloody mule?" he asked her ruefully._ _

__She said nothing, merely continued staring up into his face defiantly._ _

__He exhaled slowly and his smile was bittersweet. He cupped her face in his hands and pressed a kiss to her mouth._ _

__"I love you," he told her seriously. "More than I've loved anything in my life. Having you around made me want to keep going on when I thought I'd lost … everything." He stopped and took a deep breath. "If you are stupid enough to marry me, then I'd be the happiest guy in the world and I'd try my damndest to make sure you never regretted marrying me."_ _

__"Yes. I'll marry you," she agreed, tears shining in her eyes._ _

__"In exchange, you'd better promise me lots of hot and mind-blowing sex."_ _

__"Yes," she agreed. "I promise." His arms went around her and his mouth came down on hers. The kiss was lingering and sweet and filled with promise._ _

__There was a faint buzz._ _

__"Marshall Hansen?" It was Tendo._ _

__"Yes, Mr Choi?"_ _

__"We have activity in the area. Readings indicate that it is a Category V Kaiju – headed for Taiwan. They're back sir."_ _

__Herc stared down at Mako._ _

__"Sir? Sir?" Tendo's voice was urgent, a little panicked and a lot excited._ _

__"Yes, Mr Choi?"_ _

__"I have two Jaeger teams assembled at LOCCENT for a briefing."_ _

__"Thank you. We'll be right with you."_ _

__Herc stared down into Mako's face. The wind was blowing her hair around her pale face and her dark eyes did not move from his face._ _

__"Are you ready for this?" he asked her with a faint smile on his face._ _

__She nodded and they walked back to the Shatterdome hand in hand, ready for whatever the future had in store for them._ _

**Author's Note:**

> I was going to kill off Mako to add to poor Herc's man!pain but decided against it ...


End file.
